


Now We Are Six

by Elle82



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Fluff, Hair, Headrubs, M/M, Sleepovers, Sleepy Cuddles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-22
Updated: 2015-02-22
Packaged: 2018-03-14 13:24:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3412211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elle82/pseuds/Elle82
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Will loves to have his hair stroked and caressed. Hannibal finds out why.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Now We Are Six

**Author's Note:**

> Title from A.A. Milne's book. 
> 
> From a Hannibal Kink Meme Prompt: Will's mother sometimes stroked his hair when he was falling asleep but she died long ago and nobody else petted him this way. One day Hannibal accidentally brushes Will's head and Will just shuts his eyes, leans into the touch and freezes in pleasure so Hannibal doesn't stop. He starts to pet his lover's head often and Will almost purrs every time. Bonus points if Will nuzzles Hannibal's hand like a dog when he wants to be fondled
> 
> Hope I have done this idea justice, OP, wherever you are!
> 
> Prompts (for kink and fluff) are always welcome - comment below or come find me on tumblr: puppyxtraining :)

The first time Hannibal asked Will about his mother, he was accused of lazy psychiatry. Truth was, Will didn’t remember much of her and what he did remember was too achingly painful to talk about. With anyone. 

Hannibal had tried a number of times after that, without luck. When they had cooked together, and Will had seemed at ease around the kitchen, Hannibal made another attempt. 

“Did you ever watch your mother cook, Will?”

Will laughed. He knew exactly what Hannibal was trying to do. 

“Nice try, Hannibal.”

Hannibal flashed him an innocent look, then went back to carving the meat for their dinner.

“You seem comfortable in the kitchen. I thought perhaps you had spent time with her watching her cook, as a child.” 

Will shook his head. 

“Nope. Everything I learned about being in the kitchen came from you.”

After that, Will swiftly changed the subject and made it about sex, grabbing Hannibal and kissing him roughly. One thing led to another and within minutes Hannibal had Will bent over the kitchen counter, fucking him while the food rested, waiting for them. 

It was on the most unremarkable day that Will finally gave Hannibal a hint of the boy that lost his mother at such a young age. 

Will had invited Hannibal to stay at Wolf Trap for the weekend, picking him up after work on a Friday.  Most times they had stayed at Hannibal’s, but Will began to miss weekends at home, and more importantly, had missed his dogs. 

“I really just want to be there this weekend. I feel like I’ve been neglecting my pack. The couple down the road don’t mind stopping by to feed them and let them out, but still.”

Will watched as Hannibal neatly packed things into an overnight bag: pyjamas, some toiletries, a change of clothes and underwear. 

“…and besides, I don’t really think you want me and the dogs staying here with you this weekend. All the dog hair, and they’d scratch up your floors, not to mention your garden…”

Hannibal smiled as he placed his journal and a sketchpad on top of the clothes. 

“I see your point, Will. I’m sure I will enjoy myself at your house and, more importantly, in your company.”

Will had been slightly anxious about Hannibal staying over. The night before he had stayed up late, cleaning up, making the bed in the unused bedrooms upstairs, trying to get rid of as much dog hair as possible. The dogs regarded him strangely, and he ignored their looks of confusion. Or was it amusement? 

By the time they had battled Friday evening traffic and reached Wolf Trap, it was after 7pm and there was a heavy snow falling. The dogs were barking when Will got out of the car, so he let them out for a quick run and to relieve themselves. Hannibal stood on the porch, watching Will stand in the snow watching the dogs. 

When the dogs were done, they raced inside, sniffing around Hannibal’s bag that was inside the front door. Will climbed up the steps, rubbing his arms for warmth.

“Brrr…forecast says it won’t get higher than the low twenties this weekend. Nice excuse to stay in bed.”

Will smiled suggestively and Hannibal laughed. 

“You have snow in your hair, Will.”

Hannibal removed his glove and ran his hand through Will’s curls, shaking the loose snowflakes free. 

The smile disappeared from Will’s face. Will knew it was cliché, but time slowed down and he leaned into Hannibal’s touch. They kept eye contact, and Hannibal saw a flash of vulnerability, of youth. Yes, there had been times when they had been intimate and Hannibal had grabbed a fistful of Will’s hair. But this was entirely different. 

Hannibal continued, watching Will’s eyes droop slightly. Winston barked and Will stepped back, clearing his throat. 

“Wow. Way to kill the mood, Winston. You and I are going to be having some words later.”

And with that, Will headed inside. 

…

After pouring two glasses of wine, Will prepared a simple dinner of grilled fish and potatoes for them, banishing Hannibal from the kitchen.

“It’s the least I could do for all the elaborate meals you’ve made for me. Now go, sit, talk to the dogs. They want to get to know the person I’ve been spending so much time with.”

Hannibal smiled and looked around Will’s living room. He had been to the little house many times and the place had a comforting, relaxing feel to it. The dogs circled Hannibal, and he bent down to scratch Buster behind the ear. Winston yipped at him. 

“Oh Winston. Come here.”

But the dog didn’t budge. Hannibal sighed and walked back through to the kitchen. 

“I don’t think Winston likes me very much.”

Will was dividing the food on to plates and took them over to the table. 

“Really? No, I just think he’s not used to you yet. He’s very protective, not just of me, but of all the dogs. Surprising, seeing as he’s the newest.”

They ate and drank, polishing off the bottle then moving to whiskey afterwards while they cleaned up. Will was telling Hannibal about his lectures, Hannibal talking about an opera benefit he had been invited to. 

“Would you go with me?”

They were doing the dishes, Will washing and Hannibal drying. 

“To what? The benefit? Uh, well, I mean. That would…that would require me to be social.”

“I would be there with you. I could introduce you to my friends.”

“Can I…can I think about it?”

“Of course. It isn’t for another month. I would very much like for you to come with me though.”

Will gave a small smile. Hannibal half expected him to perhaps break his awkwardness with a sexual proposition, but Will just dried his hands on a tea towel and picked up his glass of whiskey.

“Let’s go through to the living room. You can tell me about your friends and this benefit.”

Hannibal sat on the couch and Will stoked the fire before sitting next to him. 

“So, would I have to wear a tuxedo?”

Will downed his whiskey and poured another two fingers out. When he motioned to fill up Hannibal’s glass, he declined.

“You would, yes.”

Will shuddered. 

“You’ve seen my clothes Hannibal. Do I look like the type who has a tux hanging in his closet?”

Hannibal shifted and moved his arm so it lay across the back of the couch, behind Will’s head. Will shifted too, moving closer to Hannibal. 

“No. But I have an excellent tailor. I’d be happy to introduce you to her.”

“You have a female tailor?”

“Yes. They aren’t common in Baltimore, however her work is exquisite.”

“Huh. Don’t know how I feel about a woman having her hands all over you, taking measurements and making adjustments. Or a man, for that matter.”

Hannibal smiled.

“Are you jealous, Will?”

Hannibal brought his hand up and playfully caressed the nape of Will’s neck, through the curls. Will sighed and leaned into it and further into Hannibal. He muttered something unintelligible.  Hannibal pulled his hand away.

“What was that?”

“Don’t…don’t stop.”

Hannibal continued to move his hand through Will’s hair, pulling his head slightly down and towards Hannibal’s shoulder. Will acquiesced and rested his head there, sighing again. 

They sat in silence for a while, the only sounds the crackling coming from the fireplace and the dogs shifting and settling. 

“Did she do this for you, Will?”

Hannibal knew this could go two ways. One, Will would shut down and not speak about it. Perhaps he would get angry and take it out on Hannibal, maybe get some of that rage out in the bedroom. Or two, the coziness of the room, the snow falling outside and the alcohol consumed could lull Will into a haze where perhaps, just perhaps, he would talk. 

Silence. Then one word. 

“Yes.”

Hannibal kept going. 

“Did you like it?”

“I loved it.”

“How old were you, Will?”

“Six. It was an accident. I was six.”

“That’s very young to lose your mother. What happened?”

Will sighed again. For a moment, Hannibal though he might be falling asleep. He brought his hand around to the front of Will’s head, stroking his forehead and smoothing back the curls.

“’twas an accident. Walking home from the grocery store. I was sitting on the porch when the cops arrived. I was so excited, I though maybe they were coming to visit me, talk to me about what I wanted to be when I grew up. Always wanted to be a cop.”

Hannibal smiled. 

“That must have been a sad time for you. I’m sorry.”

Will gave a tiny shrug.

“My dad did his best. Tried to hold it together. He was awkward, not really affectionate. Maybe that’s where I get it from.”

Hannibal kissed the top of Will’s head. 

“I don’t remember much of her. But I remember her holding me, stroking my hair. No one ever did that again after that. Either….either I never let them or never wanted to ask.”

“Well, now that I know, you don’t have to ask ever again, good Will.”

“Thank you, Hannibal.”

They stayed like that, quiet and warm, for another hour until Will fell asleep. They stumbled to the bedroom at some stage past midnight, sleepily brushing teeth and changing into pyjamas. 

Will found his way into Hannibal’s arms in the bed, rubbing his face into Hannibal’s chest and yawning.

“I never told anyone that much about my mom.  You plied me with alcohol and head rubs.”

Will poked Hannibal in the stomach playfully. Hannibal smiled in the dark, arms full of this man. 

“Sleep well, dear Will. Sleep well.”

He kissed Will again and fell asleep, his last thought hoping that the man in his arms would have a peaceful, dreamless sleep. 

He did. 


End file.
